How to Breathe
by A Winter Dreamer
Summary: While on vacation with his three more or less unpleasant brothers, Arthur Kirkland nearly has a heart attack when a blue-eyed merman named Alfred pulls him into the ocean, blissfully unaware of his deathly phobia. As Arthur struggles to cope with and learn more about him, the last thing he expects Alfred to do is teach him how to breathe for the first time in his life. (USUK)
1. How to Fall

_Hello everyone! This story is mainly USUK, although it does also contain some Dennor and a tiny bit of Spamano!_

 _For those of you wondering why I chose Mathias_ _...honestly. A story with merpeople, **without** Mathias? xD_

 _Reviews are appreciated, as well as any suggestions/criticism you may have!_

* * *

"You didn't tell me this was going to be a _road_ _trip_."

Arthur turned to his closest friend, Lukas, as his violet eyes regarded the large van with disdain. Arthur's three brothers were piling their luggage into the trunk with enthusiasm, laughing as they reminisced about their last trip to the beach.

Specifically, about how they had tortured and taunted Arthur because of his fear of the ocean. The same fear that _they_ had created and fueled in the first place.

"Well...yes. And I'm afraid we don't have the best of company," Arthur admitted, glaring at his brothers.

Lukas let out an inaudible sigh. In general, Lukas barely complained about anything, save for his veiled sarcasm and pointed remarks, and Arthur was grateful that he decided not to press the matter further. He wasn't surprised that Lukas had complained, though - after a plane ride, another couple of hours by car was tiring.

But it all was made infinitely worse by having to deal with Arthur's three brothers.

He turned to Lukas gratefully, and Lukas met his gaze, his usual expressionless, calm face unperturbed. Lukas shared most of his classes in college, and when he had first broached the subject of Lukas joining him for a family vacation and for one of his brother's pre-wedding celebration, he half expected Lukas to deny him outright. But, as always, Lukas surprised him by agreeing, not bothering to ask the details.

"...Thank you for doing this, Lukas."

Lukas nodded slightly, and Arthur could see his eyes soften a bit.

And that was enough for him.

It was amazing, really, how Arthur could barely communicate his feelings to his own family - but with Lukas, they seemed to understand each other without needing words.

He suddenly felt an arm loop around his shoulder harshly, jolting him out of his thoughts.

"Aww, so glad ye brought yer _pal_ , ol' Art?"

Ugh. _Scott_.

"Very much so," Arthur responded, sighing. "Although I do regret having to put him through three hours of _you_."

"He'll learn ta love me," Scott responded smugly, grinning at Lukas. "More than he ever would _you._ "

"I sincerely doubt it," Lukas muttered, but Scott pretended not to hear him.

"Ready for the ol' _beach_ , Artie?"

Arthur shuddered. He _hated_ that nickname. "More than ever," he lied.

Because honestly, he wasn't. Despite all of the therapy he went to, that his brothers convinced their father to send Arthur to, his fear was as deep and vast as the ocean itself. While his fear did inconvenience Arthur, it honestly didn't seem like a big deal to him - after all, they didn't live by the sea, and it was rare that they ever visited the beach for family vacations.

Perhaps it was the _guilt_ he associated with the sea that was debilitating, then - the same guilt that had destroyed him and locked up his memories of that day all those years ago. He couldn't remember what had happened that day even if he tried. Nor did he want to. It wasn't important, life moved on, and he would just have to deal with it.

But it could also be that he couldn't swim.

Of course, it could just be that the vast nature of the ocean itself that terrified him- it seemed endless, and that disconcerted Arthur to a certain extent. Either way, it was only times like _these_ when his fear actually affected his daily life.

Then again, he did have nightmares occasionally. He'd wake up in drenched in sweat, he'd hallucinate that he was drowning even as he emerged from the dream...

He shook his head quickly. He couldn't afford to reminisce. He couldn't afford to feel _sorry_ for himself, not after what he had done all those years ago.

Lukas was standing next to him silently, and Arthur could sense that his stance was some form of moral support or solidarity. He chuckled to himself.

"How about we go _swimming_ then, hmm?"

Arthur was used to his brother's teasing. "Sounds good," he sighed, pretending he was bored. Of course, his brothers knew he couldn't swim. He had injured his teacher when he was ten because he threw a fear tantrum in the pool, refusing to move past the first step in.

"Or surfing? Might get yer leg bitten off by a shark!"

Truth be told, Arthur preferred sharks much more than the ocean itself. Perhaps, if he did wind up lost in the sea, the sharks could do him the favor of eating him before the ocean terrified him to death. But Arthur wasn't so immature as to think sharks' sole motive in their lives was to eat or kill humans. Animals had better things to do. And it was probably better for the sharks to stay away from people anyway, because one bad shark attack slandered the entire species in the eyes of the public.

Just like one small incident threw Arthur off forever.

Arthur took a deep breath before quickly shoving Scott's arm off of him. " _Enough_ ," he hissed, irritated. "Just get in the bloody car."

"Ooooh, _just get in the bloody car_!" Scott mimicked mockingly, shrugging as he got into the driver's seat. "You sit in the back with your little friend there. Wyn sits in front because he gets carsick. Ian gets to share your company. Pleasure's all yours."

He felt Lukas move beside him, and he followed him to the van.

It was going to be a _long_ ride.

* * *

"So, ya got a girl, or something?"

Lukas raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm talkin' to you...uh...what was his name? Luke?"

"Lukas," Arthur cut in, crossing his arms over his chest. He hated that he was powerless to stop his friend from being interrogated. He had tried to change the subject several times, but it always ended up back at Lukas.

Lukas didn't respond. He looked at the window, his gaze unwavering.

"Hey, he's kinda rude."

"Yeah." A laugh. "Like Artie!"

"No wonder they get along so well!"

More laughing.

Arthur and Lukas exchanged glances, and Arthur gave him an apologetic smile.

Lukas slightly shook his head, as if to say _it's okay_.

"Three more hours," Arthur sighed, tapping the windowsill.

"So you didn't respond," Ian pressed, elbowing Lukas. "You got a girl, or what?"

"I don't _have_ anyone," Lukas finally said, his voice even. Arthur's lips quirked upwards in a smile. This would be good.

"I don't own anyone, nor do I have possession of anyone. That's ridiculous."

"Hey, I didn't-"

"I don't think that's possible, unless we somehow were warped back in time to when slavery still existed. Even then, the concept of owning another human is weird and definitely wrong. Oh. Were you referring to dating someone - a girlfriend or significant other?" His words were icy, laced with sarcasm as he turned his head to look at Ian. "No. The answer is no."

Wyn whistled from the front seat.

"Damn, that guy just _never stops talking_ , does he?"

Arthur grinned. "Lukas has a point. Perhaps you three should brush up on your English."

"Yeah, yeah, the _proper son_ ," sneered Scott, veering the car steeply to make a last-minute right. The car lurched and the four fell silent after a collective gasp.

Scott grinned. "Shut 'em up good."

Arthur and Lukas resumed their gazing out the window.

Two hours and fifty-nine minutes to go.

He was grateful for one thing, though. And slightly surprised.

His brothers hadn't brought up his history. How he had never shown interest in any girls, and how he'd only dated one girl out of guilt in high school and had gently broken up with her a week later by explaining that he never liked her.

One of the most hateful and embarrassing moments of his rather monotonous life.

"Fifty eight minutes..." he sighed to himself as he stared out the window, his eyes dim.

* * *

"Damn," Ian whistled as they exited the car. "That is a _nice hotel_!"

Arthur had to admit, the location and architecture of the hotel was stunning. It was a beachside resort, perfectly nestled against the rocks with an impeccable ocean view. It was a small, homely kind of place, and Arthur could count the number of balconies facing the water. The hotel's grainy tan color mimicked the sand, and all in all Arthur was impressed.

Of course, the sound of waves instantly made Arthur slightly nauseous, and he hunched over a bit, praying that his stomach would stop hurting.

Not now. Not in front of his brothers. And Lukas.

Lukas looked at him but said nothing, his gaze moving to the ocean.

Lukas seemed to like it well enough, and Arthur didn't want to hold him back, especially since Arthur had wanted him to come on the trip in the first place.

"It looks cold," Lukas commented disdainfully.

Arthur smiled. How did Lukas always know what he was thinking? And now he was trying to pretend that he was not interested.

"Test the waters for me," Arthur responded with a smile, and Lukas' eyes softened.

"Alright, time to go check in. Dad should be here soon anyway," Wyn announced, taking out his luggage from the trunk. "Artie, I trust you can handle the rest?"

His three useless brothers skipped through the glass doors to the lobby, leaving Arthur and Lukas to take five pieces of luggage.

They exchanged glances, and Lukas reached out for the first bag.

"I'm..." Arthur began, his tone wavering.

 _Sorry?_ Sorry for putting Lukas through this? How could he even _begin_ to apologize...

Lukas shook his head, cutting him off, as he took two of the bags. But Arthur knew Lukas wasn't very strong, so he tried to carry three of them but ended up falling forward from the weight.

He heard his brothers' laughter as Wyn stuck his head out of the door.

"What's wrong, Artie? Bit off more than you can chew?"

"Perhaps I wouldn't be in this position if you three arseholes hadn't loaded them with _rocks_!"

"I keep tellin' you to go to the gym!"

Arthur clamped his mouth shut, gritting his teeth as he heaved the three bags up, one weighing down his shoulder while he carried the other two in each hand.

"Atta boy, Artie!"

His brothers' obnoxious laughter faded as they went back to the lobby again. Lukas stared at Arthur before he began to walk towards the hotel.

Arthur sighed as he made to follow him, but with no distractions, the sea was suddenly terrifyingly _real_.

It was then that the smell of the sea hit him, salt and all, and he almost heaved right then and there. He bent over, trying to collect himself, and Lukas stood by his side, a hand on his shoulder.

"T-Thank you, Lukas, but really, I'll be all right soon..."

They managed to make their way to the hotel eventually, and they each checked into their rooms after more teasing from Arthur's brothers. Arthur and Lukas were sharing a room, while Arthur's father shared a room with Scott. Ian and Wyn roomed together.

When Arthur's father finally arrived, he eyed Arthur with a cold look before ignoring him and greeting his other sons.

Arthur understood all too well the implications of his father's treatment. He was warning Arthur not to screw up. Not to trouble them with his fear, his sickness. His anxiety.

Not to cause any more grief in the family, especially when Wyn was getting married.

Arthur looked at the floor in silence, swallowing his pride.

He'd do just that.

* * *

But of course, Arthur's brothers wouldn't leave him alone, and the three of them had teamed up on him once he had settled in and dragged him out of his room, two of them grabbing his legs while the other had his torso. It was demeaning, humiliating, and worst of all, Lukas was not there to stop them, because he had already headed out to the beach.

"Let me _down_ , you insensitive -"

"Aww, it's just a dip in the nice, cool _ocean water_ , Artie! No big deal!"

"You three know _perfectly_ _well_ how I feel about the ocean, so why don't you bugger off and find yourself a new toy to amuse yourself with? Considering your collective ages add up to about nine, I'm sure you'll find something to -"

Arthur felt his ankle being twisted and grimaced, falling silent as Wyn laughed at him.

"The guests are arriving in three days, Artie. _Three days_ of pure family fun."

"Perfect. Three days until I can expose you for who you really are. Maybe then the wedding will be cancelled."

Another twist, and Arthur let out a groan.

He wondered if he'd be able to walk tomorrow.

And soon they were out of the lobby, Arthur burning red from the looks of curiosity and confusion, and all of a sudden there was sand and waves and wind and _oh no how was he going to do this_...

They dropped him immediately, and Arthur coughed as a bit of sand went into his mouth.

"So, why don't we play _sand burial_ first?" Scott suggested.

"Why don't you three start acting your age for once in your life?"

"Says _you_!" Wyn guffawed. " _You're_ the one who's afraid of the bleedin' _sea_!"

"It's a fair fear to have!" Arthur responded defensively.

"Yeah? And I suppose if Mum had your fear, she wouldn't have died?"

The four fell silent suddenly, and Scott's eyes darkened.

"Wyn."

They heard the reprimand in Scott's voice, and Wyn shrunk back a bit.

"Went too far," he admitted, and Arthur stood up, dusting himself off.

"Go enjoy the beach," Ian said suddenly, a small grin on his face. " _Alone_. We'll be waiting in the lobby, and if you come back before midnight..."

The other two began to laugh.

"You are _definitely_ getting buried. Right next to the ocean."

* * *

Arthur watched them go back to the hotel, and waited for his heart to calm down. He faced away from the ocean.

The sun was just about getting ready to set, the orange and red hues dancing across the sky, slightly tinted purple clouds encroaching in from the top of Arthur's vision. He prayed for rain.

But the sound of the waves jarred him, and in an attempt to cope he tried to breathe in sync with the waves. Perhaps he could convince himself that it was the sound of his heart.

It wasn't likely, but it was worth a try.

Slowly breathing in an out, he tried to match the recede and crash of the waves. He slowly turned around.

He was twenty one years old, and it was absolutely ridiculous for him to still have a debilitating fear of the ocean. It couldn't hurt him. He was safe, here, on the sand...

He sunk his toes in, feeling the fine sand give way underneath his feet, crawl between his toes, focusing on his breathing, his eyes still closed.

Yes, if he went _in_ to the ocean it was a different story. But here, on land, he was safe. Nothing would change that.

 _But what if there was a big wave or a tsunami -_

Calm. Breathe in, breathe out.

He was fine. He was a gentleman. He was sane.

"Arthur."

Arthur immediately opened his eyes, seeing Lukas approach him. Even with his calm expression, Arthur could tell Lukas was worried. His eyes seemed to be questioning why Arthur was on the beach.

"Brothers," Arthur sighed, shrugging. "It'll be all right. I'll live."

Lukas snorted, looking at the waves.

"We're the same," he said after a while, pointing to the ocean. Arthur frowned slightly, turning to him questioningly.

Lukas pursed his lips, falling silent, before he walked away to sit on the sand.

Arthur followed him, sitting next to him.

His heart seemed calmer than he expected, although each time a wave rose he felt his heart flutter. It was terrifying, but strangely relieving, facing his worst fear like this.

How many times had he told himself he hated the ocean?

How many times had it been ingrained in his mind - to hate the ocean, to fear it...

For what?

 _You'll die. It will kill you. You don't belong._

 _We're the same._

Arthur shut his eyes, taking deep breaths. He felt Lukas shift so that they were closer to each other, and he nodded gratefully.

"I-If you want you can go back to the hotel. Grab something to eat. I can manage out here. If I can't now, I won't be able to in front of all my relatives, right?"

Lukas blinked, and nodded slightly before standing up. He walked back to the hotel without questioning further.

Arthur let a breath out.

 _Alone._

In front of the ocean.

 _Weak._

No, he was not weak. He was strong, he was _Arthur Kirkland_ , and it was about time he got over this. The beach was empty anyway, so he had nothing to lose.

Powered by the annoyance and anger that came with years and years of fearing the sea, he stood up quickly, making his way over to the water.

But his body stopped him after a couple of strides.

 _I'll die. I'll drown. And nobody is there, nobody will notice and I'll be gone for good, and maybe that's for the best..._

Another step.

 _Just like Mum..._

Another step.

 _It will eat me alive._

He suddenly crouched down, holding his knees to his chest as he shook violently. No. He couldn't do it.

Blast it all, he was _afraid_ , and he felt foolish for thinking he could simply power through it just because he was annoyed with himself.

Perhaps it would be best to suffer the torment his brothers would prepare for him after all. It was better than _this._

 _Anything_ was better than this.

But he stood up again, he dusted himself off, and he took another step. The breeze felt stronger, the waves were louder, and salt filled all of his senses.

Until he noticed something dark by the pier.

And it was _moving_.

He jumped, startled, as he stared, blocking out the sound of the waves as he peered at the figure, squinting.

No, it wasn't a fin. It wasn't a shark, or a dolphin...

It looked like a _head_.

It was bobbing up and down, and Arthur assumed the man or woman was trying to get up onto the dock but was failing.

He forced himself forward, at first cautiously walking across the sand but quickly breaking into a run as he dashed towards the small pier, unconsciously moving himself closer and closer to the water. He ran across the wooden dock towards the figure, and found that the head suddenly receded away from him.

"Pardon me, are you - here, give me your hand," Arthur said gently, dropping down and kneeling as he reached towards the person.

The _man_ , more specifically. He had golden hair that the last of the sun's rays illuminated so perfectly it was almost as if it was glowing. He couldn't see the rest of the man's body that well, but he could see his face clearly.

His eyes were blue, so similar to the sea yet so much more bright and vibrant, and he was frowning, his eyes filled with something Arthur didn't understand. Fear? Disgust? Confusion?

"Come on," Arthur repeated firmly, stretching his hand further. But it seemed that the more Arthur reached out, the more the man went away.

Was the current carrying him, or was he staying away on purpose?

"Are you troubled?" Arthur inquired finally, slowly leaning back as he rested on his knees and the balls of his feet. "What are you doing there?"

No response. The man shifted suddenly, his mouth turning down into a frown before he slowly moved towards Arthur.

"Can you swim?"

The man was silent.

"..."

Well, he didn't seem to be drowning. Perhaps Arthur had been wrong, just arrogantly _assumed_ that the man needed help when he seemed perfectly fine on his own.

It was humiliating. Embarrassing. Arthur hated himself for taking action, for being a part of something that didn't need him or want him.

Like always.

He decided it was best to just walk back and pretend nothing happened. Maybe he could salvage the last of his pride.

But suddenly the ocean was _there_ again, big and real and surrounding him on all sides, with salt and sound and everything and it was too much...

Arthur shrank back, groaning as he clutched his head. He bit his lip, refusing to let fear take over even as it poisoned him from the inside, refusing to let tears fall...

The waves were loud, unbelievably loud, but he forced open his eyes, only to see that the man was gone.

"Er..." Arthur was at a loss for words. He spun around, wildly searching, and he found that the man was on the other side of the skinny pier, his head barely above the water as he studied Arthur with what seemed to be a somewhat confused, somewhat hostile expression.

Arthur didn't fail to notice that the man was unnaturally handsome, with a firm jaw and nice cheekbones, and those _eyes_...

He forced himself to look away. He didn't have time for this. And he shouldn't be having those thoughts anyway.

"M-May I help you?"

The man moved closer, and Arthur found himself backing up so that he was sitting on the opposite end. The dock was narrow, with only a couple of feet separating him and the man.

But he felt drawn to him, and before he knew it Arthur was moving closer to him, crawling hesitantly on his hands and knees as he gazed at the man in return silently.

And then he felt strong hands grip his forearms, giving them a swift tug before he was dragged into the water.


	2. How to Hope

_Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Now to get the story moving! (the first chapter/intro was a bit slow...)_

 _Please don't forget to review!_

* * *

 _No air. Heaviness. Water._

 _Darkness._

 _He was drowning._

He was drowning, he was dying, and he knew that soon water would slowly fill his lungs. But he was quite sure that his pounding heart would give out on him before he drowned. He could hear it so clearly, above everything else - the desperate thudding that would be the last thing he would ever hear.

It was cold. He was freezing. The water was heavy and endless, malevolently swirling around him and dragging him to his death. It was dark, and he was afraid to open his eyes, to witness the chaos around him...

But something jolted Arthur out of his rapidly declining thoughts. There were...hands. Something - some _one_ \- was holding him. Gripping him tightly. And...and he was moving.

 _Why am I moving?_

Was the ocean going to punish him at last? End it all, so _ironically_ in the middle of the thing he hated, he _feared_ , the most?

But the hands were there again, pulling him, and soon he was struggling against them - for what purpose, he didn't know - and he wanted to be _free_ , be free of water and pain and everything...

And suddenly there was air. Arthur took a heaving gasp, his eyes shooting open as he found himself looking at the sky.

He was alive. In the ocean. He was in the ocean, surrounded by water, but he was _alive_.

Instantly, he looked in front of him, only to see the same man gripping Arthur's arms in an attempt to keep him above the water. He could see more of the man now, up to his shoulders, and the man didn't appear to be wearing a shirt.

Well, this was bloody _brilliant_.

But he was in the ocean now, and the waves were around him, lapping at him from all directions and he was surrounded and _he wouldn't make it out alive -_

"Do you want to die?" the man asked abruptly, his eyes narrowed slightly, as if judging Arthur. The man seemed to be conflicted, although Arthur didn't know what he was conflicted about.

Arthur coughed, clearing the water from his throat. He hadn't realized he was shaking, and he tried to free himself from the man's grip, _anything_ to keep him from noticing.

But it appeared to be too late. And the man kept a firm hold on him, his blue eyes piercing as he gazed at Arthur.

Trying to quell his erratic heartbeat, he looked anywhere, anywhere but the water below him. Anything stable. He stared at the sky for a while, trying to catch his breath, and he winced as the man's grip tightened.

It was a warning. He had to answer.

"...I don't know," Arthur said tiredly.

The man frowned at that, and Arthur immediately tried to get away again.

"You cannot swim. Why are you trying to escape?"

Another pause.

"I'm afraid I don't know."

He knew he sounded weak. Tired. Defeated.

But that's what he was after all, wasn't he? A stupid rag doll to be kicked around by his brothers, a soulless husk that had to rely on his only friend for help...

Suddenly, the right side of the man's mouth quirked upwards in a small, amused smile.

"You are strange."

Arthur glared at him. "You're one to talk! Being in the ocean in this temperature. What were you _thinking_?"

And suddenly, it became so much easier to talk. Anger was an old friend, after all.

"There I was, thinking that you were in need of my help, but when I reached out to you, you didn't respond! Honestly, I thought you must have been deaf or mute. The _least_ you could do is tell me you _wanted_ hypothermia; I would have saved myself the trouble of getting in the..." Arthur trailed off, frowning as he glared at the man again. "And you! What the bloody hell were you doing, dragging me in here like that!"

The man tilted his head, bewildered. "...Hypo...mia? Why would I _not_ want to be in the ocean?" He frowned, looking genuinely confused.

"Because it's freezing in here, you dolt."

"It's...not that cold, today..." the man said, sounding as confused as he looked. "Why is the temperature an..." Suddenly, a light flickered in his eyes. "Oh...right."

"Yes? Do you have some sort of revelation?" Arthur retorted sarcastically. "And why did you drag me in here?"

"I thought..." the man murmured, frowning. "Wait...so...you don't..."

"I don't _what_?"

Just as Arthur felt a wave of annoyance rush through him, he felt something... _cold_ and slightly rough brush by his leg. He shook, startled, and began to panic.

"What the...what just..."

His heart beating out of control, he struggled to see through the water, but with the sun setting he couldn't see well. He looked at the man desperately, but the man simply stared at him, baffled.

"So you don't know," the man said finally, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Uh...sorry about this, then," he said, his eyes conflicted.

"About dragging me in here?" Arthur filled in distractedly, still close to hyperventilating. What on earth had touched him? What if the man hadn't noticed and they were surrounded by sharks...

"We're going to die," Arthur said, his eyes wide. "We're going to die, because there's a _thing_ down there and -"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," the man interrupted, staring at Arthur in surprise as his grip tightened slightly. "We're not going to die. Um...this may be a bit hard to take in."

"W-What is?" Arthur chattered, his eyes still fixed on the water frantically. He almost didn't notice how the man's tone had changed ever so slightly. It was more...Arthur couldn't quite describe it, but it seemed to be a lot smoother than before. Controlled. Lilting, even, though Arthur was embarrassed that he even thought that.

"...that _thing_ down there is a _..._ what do you people call it, again...tail? No, that's not right...um... _fin_?"

"Why is there a _fin_ down there if it's not attached to a _fish_ or some sort of predator?" Arthur retorted, struggling to calm himself.

"Hmm..." the man pursed his lips before letting Arthur go. Arthur let out a small yelp and instantly began to thrash in an attempt to keep himself afloat, but the man quickly grabbed him by the waist and drew him close.

Arthur's face flushed almost instantly. "What are you..."

"Shh..." the man murmured, suddenly talking Arthur's hand on his own.

"S-Stop it! What are you -"

Now, Arthur was panicking for a _different_ reason.

And suddenly the man's hand was guiding Arthur's own, down his well-toned chest, down his stomach and side, until...

Arthur gasped.

His eyes shot down to the water.

Because where the man's...well, swim trunks should have been...

There were _scales_.

* * *

Silence.

The sound of the ocean waves passed, crashing and receding, but the man was all Arthur could see. Hear. Sense.

It couldn't be possible. It _wasn't_ possible.

But the man...no, that wasn't right. The...the _merman_ had scales. And the thing that had brushed him...that was his _fin_.

"Oh," Arthur said dumbly after a while, his eyes wide, his mind not able to comprehend the situation. He looked up at the merman's face again, speechless.

"Yeah," the blond said hesitantly, seeming a bit apologetic. "I didn't mean to startle you. I'm sorry."

Up close, Arthur couldn't help but study the man's face, especially how his handsome features almost seemed too perfect. Too beautiful. He was unable to draw his eyes away from the man's blue eyes that sparkled behind his long lashes, his soaked hair that still seemed to have one stray cowlick that stuck up, the veins in his upper arms lacing over his well-toned muscles...

Arthur shook his head quickly. No. He needed to focus. He needed to be sensible. Smart. He couldn't afford to show weakness to whatever manner of creature this man was again.

But he had a small, nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he had seen those blue eyes somewhere before. They somehow felt familiar, but Arthur knew he was probably just delusional.

"So you're a merman?" Arthur attempted, trying to sound irritated and casual as he gazed up at the man. But they were close, too close, and it came out as more of an unsure whisper. He was stunned, but he tried to pretend that he was able to accept the fact that he was face-to-face with a merman easily.

Was it some sort of trick? But how could...were there scale suits that would seem as real as the man's had been? And why would he be wearing one of those in the freezing water anyway?

The man nodded after a while, a strained smile on his face as he let Arthur drift away slightly, keeping a hold on his arms to keep him afloat. He seemed to be conflicted again, and he looked unsurely out at the shore. Arthur followed his gaze, and to his surprise, he found that the beach was still practically empty. The man turned to gaze at him again, frowning slightly.

Was this all a dream? Some sick joke? He couldn't believe it.

Everything he had been trained not to believe.

All the teasing, all the pain...

Some part of him wished it was a joke. Wished for him to return to reality.

But the man was still there, unmoving, studying Arthur carefully. Finally, he opened his mouth.

"I told you because you smell familiar. Do not betray my trust."

The words were harsh. Cut. Cold. Arthur looked at him in surprise.

"...Familiar?" He supposed that the man didn't want him to tell anyone. But who was he to tell? Nobody would believe him anyway.

The merman frowned again. "...You smell marked, actually."

"Pardon?"

The merman shook his head. "Don't worry. Forget what I said."

"What are you doing here?"

Now it was the merman's turn to be surprised. He looked at Arthur with curious eyes.

"Assuming you _are_ a merman, do you really think it wise to wander so close to the shore? If you want to keep your identity hidden, what is the point of coming all the way out here?"

He looked taken aback for a moment before he tilted his head. "I sensed something was here. Something that I needed."

"What did you need?"

The merman frowned. "Sometimes, we have feelings that propel us forward. That encourage us to migrate, that push us to move on, that lead us to the best food. I felt a strong feeling towards the shore tonight. I couldn't ignore it."

"What was it that...you were drawn to?"

The merman met Arthur's gaze with surprising intensity before speaking about a new subject entirely. "You are afraid. You are deathly afraid, and your fear manifested tenfold when I drew you to the ocean. Why is that?"

Arthur narrowed his eyes. " _That_ is none of your business."

"You're interfering with my senses," the man argued, seeming slightly irritated. "I can't sense anything at all because all I sense is your _fear_. It's overwhelming. Maybe the reason I don't know what drew me here is because of _you_."

"Don't blame your..." Arthur stopped. He had heard animals could smell fear. Was it really that apparent? He felt embarrassed, and the merman's gaze softened.

"But you are not afraid of me. You are afraid of the sea."

Arthur nodded silently, his gaze averted.

"Why is that?"

His voice was gentle. Soft. Melodic.

Coaxing.

But Arthur knew better than to be lulled into a false sense of security by a merman.

"It's not a big deal, really," he said decisively, turning to the man with what he hoped was an apathetic expression.

He couldn't have answered the question if he tried. He didn't remember what caused him to fear the ocean - it always just seemed like he had feared it forever. But he knew that wasn't true - something happened, but he didn't want to think about it.

The merman looked at him with wide eyes, slightly surprised. But there was alarm, too. He studied Arthur carefully again before saying, "You're not from here."

Arthur pursed his lips, but he didn't say anything.

"Smell," the merman explained, gently tapping his nose. "One thing merpeople have over your kind."

"Oh?" Arthur said, only then beginning to notice he was losing feeling in his toes. But he was determined not to show any more weakness. "And what else do merpeople excel at?"

"Are you curious?"

"Very," Arthur responded sarcastically. But there was some truth it that, too.

"Well..." The merman pretended to consider it. "For one thing, we don't lie."

"Pah!" Arthur laughed at that, although it was mixed with a sneeze. "T-That is most _definitely_ not true. I've heard many a tale of mermaids who lure soldiers to their deaths by promising them their love and eternal life."

"And those are just stories," the merman said carefully, a slight frown on his face. "But even then...merpeople cannot lie. We do not, and we _cannot_. We do not make promises that we will have to fulfill in the future, because if we _don't_ fulfill them, it is a lie."

Arthur tilted his head, waiting.

"..." The merman fell silent, frowning slightly before continuing. "In your stories, they could have told the men they loved them - for in that moment, if they did truly love them, then it wouldn't be a lie."

"So their words are based off of their feelings at the moment? Isn't that misleading?"

"But what else matters than the present?" the merman asked, a small smile on his face. "Does the future matter, if you don't understand the present?"

Arthur fell silent.

And then he felt embarrassed at how the merman was staring at him, and he struggled to change the subject. "S-So do your _kind_ live around here?"

"We are few," the merman said in a low voice. "But I am not from here."

Arthur looked at him curiously.

"I got lost as a child," the merman explained with a self-depreciating smile. "Unfortunately." His hair fell into his eyes as he looked down. Arthur noticed it was the first time he had looked away since they had met. "In a storm. I made a mistake. And I...ended up here, so I had to learn to live here."

Arthur's eyes softened as he gently put his hand on the merman's hand that was gripping his wrist. The merman looked up, surprised.

"I'm sorry...so all this time, since then, you were here? Alone?"

"Not alone," the merman corrected, a brief smile dancing across his face again. "And that was a while ago, anyway. I met three other mermen here. One is gone. One is native. One is not - he fled to here."

Arthur frowned. "Fled from what?"

"Your kind," the merman said with a calm expression. "Those who wish to hunt. Those who wish to discover. He got too close to another human, and that human's family..." His eyes narrowed. "Maybe they wanted to profit from him. They almost captured him. But he escaped, and he swam here."

Arthur felt anger bubble up inside him. "I-I...I'm sorry that -" He sneezed in the middle of his sentence, and his eyes began to water.

"You're freezing. Your pulse is dropping."

"R-Really, now..." Arthur managed sarcastically, wincing as the merman's grip tightened considerably.

"Come with me."

Arthur stared at him.

"Pardon?"

"Come with me," the merman repeated. He suddenly gripped Arthur's shoulders, his gaze serious. "My name is Alfred, and I will take you to safety."

"If I needed _safety_ , why wouldn't I just climb onto the dock?" Arthur asked, eyeing the pier that was not too far away.

"I cannot," Alfred said, his eyes narrowed. "It is unsafe for me."

"You didn't have a problem with it a minute ago, flitting around it like you did," Arthur pointed out, tilting his head.

"What is your name?" Alfred interrupted, a serious expression on his face. "You have a name."

Arthur almost laughed, but something told him Alfred took names much more seriously than the average person did. "My name is Arthur," he said slowly. "It's a...pleasure, Alfred."

Alfred's eyes widened as he pursed his lips. He shook himself a bit before he nodded, a bright smile on his face. "Yes. Your name is Arthur."

Arthur frowned. "What?"

"Nothing," Alfred said quickly, taking Arthur's wrists again and dragging him further into the ocean. He was gentle this time, though, and at first Arthur didn't even notice they were moving.

But when he did, he panicked.

"W-Where are you taking me?" Arthur spluttered, his eyes wide as he tried to free himself in panic.

"You're so strange!" Alfred exclaimed incredulously. "I just told you I'm taking you to safety! You will freeze!"

"So take me back to the dock!"

"Now that you _know_ , I can't!"

"..."

"You're still afraid."

"I can't expect my fear to dissipate after meeting a person of the deep, you know."

"..." Alfred stopped, eyeing Arthur with curiosity. "You do not call me a creature?"

"Well, you're an individual, aren't you? Would you prefer the term creature?"

"No," Alfred said, a small smile on his face. "No, you are correct...but you are still scared."

"Yes."

"So trust in me," Alfred said suddenly, holding Arthur's hand in his own as he dragged Arthur over to his side. He looped an arm around his waist, and Arthur could feel Alfred's chest pressing against his back. He flushed slightly as he frowned.

"W-Where are we..."

"You will heal," Alfred said sincerely. "You will heal as time passes. I know it."

And all of a sudden they were moving, and Arthur was hyperventilating, and he was terrified, but each time it became unbearable Alfred squeezed his hand and held him closer, and soon Arthur was able to calm down again, trying to shut out the world.

But Alfred brought him back to reality, to sensation, always.

"We will go slowly. If ever you feel fear...I am here. I can swim pretty well, you know. You will not drown."

 _You will not drown._

His muscles loosened as he let Alfred guide him.

It felt like a dream, Alfred swimming with him, his powerful tail pushing through the water as they sped away. Gradually, Alfred increased his pace, but Arthur barely noticed, with the jumps in speed being so gentle and smooth.

Finally, Alfred stopped, and Arthur opened his eyes and looked up.

They arrived at a small island - barely a spat of land - with a large rock in the center and a bit of sand surrounding the rock. Carefully, Alfred led him to the shore, and Arthur jumped out of the water, freezing as he scrambled onto the shore. He sat on the sand, facing Alfred as Alfred slowly receded back into the water.

"Where are we?"

"Safe," Alfred said. "Far from the town. Far from people."

"Why did you bring me here?"

Alfred studied him. "I thought you..." He swam a bit forward. "You still...you are still in pain."

"I'm freezing my arse off, if that's what you mean."

Alfred laughed. "No, not physically. You are still sad. I thought that maybe getting away from those who torment you would help. But it seems you are unable to free yourself from them, even here."

His words felt like a dagger, and Arthur looked down, ashamed. Was he really so readable? "I-I'll be all right," he managed, avoiding delving into his thoughts at all costs. "They're a sodding bunch of tossers, but they're always like that." Suddenly, he looked up, surprised. "You saw that?"

"I saw them carry you to the beach, even though you wished with all your heart that they would stop."

"Why do you care so much?" Arthur suddenly asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Before I die of hypothermia, that's one thing I'd like to know."

Alfred looked taken aback.

"I..." Alfred frowned. "I don't know." He looked unsure, and Arthur knew he wasn't lying.

Because he couldn't.

"I'm sorry," Arthur said. "That was insensitive...t-thank you, Alfred."

Arthur scooted closer to the water, but not close enough for the waves to touch him. "Honestly, this is the first time I've seen a merman. And been in the ocean after so many years," Arthur said, smiling slightly. "I...I'm glad I met you."

Alfred's eyes widened, and he broke out into the brightest grin Arthur had ever seen. "Same here!" He swam enthusiastically to Arthur, but still remained in the water.

He was afraid. He was still undeniably afraid. But...but something pushed Arthur to try harder. To seek more.

To overcome.

"Alfred, may I ask you a small favor before it gets darker?"

"Anything."

"W-Will you teach me how to swim?"

Alfred grinned.

"No problem, Arthur!"


	3. How to Jump

_Hi everyone. I hope you like this chapter, and sorry for the long wait!_

 _Please remember to review!_

* * *

"...Arthur?"

"Y-Yes?"

"...You have to get in the water first."

"I know, you idiot. I...I'm taking my time."

"The sun will set by the time you get your feet in," Alfred pointed out, a small frown on his face as he watched Arthur move towards the water, only to back away again as the waves crashed on the shore.

"I-I'm working on it!"

"Should I just drag you in like last time?"

Arthur whirled on him, fear and anger in his eyes. "Don't you dare! Just a reminder - this mess is all _your_ fault!"

Alfred held up his hands in mock defense, a twinkle in his eyes. "All right. Take your time."

Arthur glared at him before approaching the water again, every part of his body screaming for him to run. But there was nowhere to run.

And Alfred was here.

Arthur knew he had to learn. He didn't have a choice. If Alfred refused to go near the dock to drop him off, he'd have to learn how to swim - or at least, survive - long enough to get himself to the pier.

He just hoped that Lukas would be okay until then. Perhaps it was arrogant of him to expect Lukas to worry.

One step. Another step. A stop.

One more step.

The water lapped at his toes, and a flash of panic ran down his spine as his entire body froze. Alfred moved closer to him, an encouraging, appreciative look in his eyes. Arthur focused on him as he moved forward. The cold surrounded him, but he kept moving, in a trance, all the way to Alfred.

Alfred smiled, lightly taking Arthur's hands in his own.

"Was that bad?"

"Terribly."

He laughed. "Well, you seemed calm and composed."

"Did I?"

"Always," Alfred grinned, and Arthur couldn't tell whether he was being serious or joking.

"S-So how do I begin?" Arthur asked, embarrassed.

"Hmm..." Alfred squeezed Arthur's hands gently as he floated away from him slowly. He looked at Arthur again. "Can you float up for me?"

"Pardon?"

"As in...make your body parallel to the surface of the water. Face down."

"..."

"Let your feet float up to the surface. You'll naturally float if you don't struggle, you know."

 _Don't struggle?_ How on earth was he expected not to struggle when he'd _drown_? He'd probably be the first human to drown without any reason.

But Alfred had trusted him with a secret. And now, he had to trust Alfred.

Gulping, he pushed up with his feet, squeezing Alfred's hands unconsciously as he tried to tilt himself forward.

"W-Wait, then my face will..."

"No, keep your face up. Well..." Alfred frowned. "Yes, your face is going to have to be in the water eventually. But I think, for humans, you can use your feet. I mean, legs. To power you forward."

He had seen Scott and Wyn swim before, and he knew the basic motions and what swimming should look like, but it was terrifying to have to try it himself.

"Don't freak out."

"What?"

Suddenly, Arthur's right hand was free, and cold water swirled in to replaced Alfred's grip. Panicked, Arthur glanced at Alfred, who was slowly moving to Arthur's side.

"I'm going to hold you up. And you're going to practice holding your breath."

" _Excuse me_?"

"For me?" Alfred pouted, a pleading look in his eyes.

Arthur felt ridiculous. He couldn't believe he had made Alfred try to convince him to try when _he_ was the one who needed to learn. He nodded without thinking, gritting his teeth, as Alfred gently placed a hand on Arthur's stomach.

"Okay. I want you to push on me."

Arthur blushed slightly as he pushed forward, and Alfred placed a hand on his back, gently applying pressure until Arthur was almost parallel with the water, face down. He was no longer holding Arthur's hands, but Arthur noticed that Alfred was careful to never completely let go of him.

"Here's what's happening," Alfred said gently. "You're going to put your face in the water, hold your breath, count to three, and then stick your face up - but only your face. Try not to move your body. I'm here, holding you, so you'll always be at the water's surface."

"Alfred...how do you know how humans swim in the first place?"

"I've seen a person swim before," Alfred said, a sad smile on his face. "A long time ago."

Arthur blinked, deciding there was a better time to ask.

"Okay," Alfred said, his voice lowering to a whisper. "Go for it."

Arthur shut his eyes, taking a deep breath before sticking his face in.

It was cold. It was terrifying. He felt as if he were in a different world. A terrifying world that threatened to wipe out his existence, but Alfred was there by his side, holding him, supporting him...

His head shot up after a while, and he turned to look at Alfred with wide eyes.

A small smile crept onto Arthur's face as he saw Alfred's huge grin, but he tried to squash it quickly.

"You're amazing!" Alfred exclaimed, patting him on the back. "That was almost a minute!"

"...Really?"

"Yeah, I didn't expect you'd be able to hold your breath that long! Are you _sure_ you're a first time swimmer?" he teased.

"O-Of course, you git," Arthur muttered, feeling his face flush slightly. "S-Shall we try that again?"

"Of course!"

* * *

"Arthur...you're really not looking too good..."

"I-I can keep going, it's no -"

A sneeze.

"- big deal..."

"I'm sorry," Alfred said suddenly, his eyes downcast. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have pushed you so hard."

"'S nothing," Arthur murmured, half unconscious. His body felt drained, and the moon was high in the sky as he blindly reached for Alfred's hand. He had slowly gotten used to the feeling of the waves, and after he learned how to hold his breath Alfred helped him learn how to kick. He still had to hold on to Arthur, but according to Alfred, Arthur was progressing well.

"No, it's not nothing," Alfred said firmly. "I..."

But Arthur didn't hear the rest of what Alfred said as the water swallowed him.

...

 _"...thur. Arthur."_

 _A stir. A rustle. A thud._

 _"Geez, you need to eat more. Hey..."_

 _Something warm was on his face._

 _"...I thought it was you. I can't tell for sure, but..."_

 _A pause._

 _"Even if it wasn't me...it was someone else."_

 _..._

Arthur slowly opened his eyes, blinking rapidly. The sky was still dark, and he turned his head to see Alfred staring at him, his forearms resting on the dock. He was gazing at Arthur worriedly, and instantly perked up when Arthur's eyes opened.

"Arthur!" Alfred exclaimed, a large smile on his face. "I thought I lost you! I was so scared...how are you feeling?"

"Fine," Arthur lied, a tight smile on his face. He groaned as he sat up. "I don't..."

"Arthur!"

Alfred instantly shrunk back into the water, his eyes just above the surface as he glanced at something behind Arthur.

Arthur quickly turned around to find Lukas running towards him, his eyes wide and his face unusually pale. He seemed a lot more ruffled than usual, with a frown on his face.

But if Alfred had been resting his arms on the dock, it meant that he would have been slightly out of the water...

 _Lukas might have seen him._

"Lukas!" Arthur exclaimed, coughing. "I..."

What could he say?

"You idiot," Lukas scolded, coming to a halt in front of Arthur. "I was looking everywhere for you. I finally interrogated your pathetic excuses for brothers and learned that they forced you to stay out here all this time. I was wondering why you came on the beach in the first place. Where did you go?"

Arthur quickly turned to the water, but found that Alfred was nowhere in sight. His heart sank a bit as he turned back to Lukas.

"O-Oh, nowhere..."

"You're soaked."

Arthur fell silent. Lukas said nothing as he wrapped a warm towel around Arthur, helping him stand up.

"Thank you," Arthur whispered before he sneezed again.

"You're a mess."

"I know."

* * *

He had a fitful night, and he ended up barely sleeping. Dreams of memories and nightmares melded together as he tossed and turned, and often he broke out in tears, sweating as he dreamt of drowning. Of suffocating, of dying. Sometimes Lukas slept through it, but sometimes he woke up and stared at Arthur, getting up without complaint to toss him the tissue box.

But in the midst of all that, there was Alfred, too, a crazy merman who wove a white thread through his dark nightmares, his smile, his laughter, and the warm feeling Arthur had whenever he saw him.

Of course, Arthur knew it was ridiculous. Over the course of the night he convinced himself it must have been a fanciful dream.

And now, Arthur wasn't sure he'd ever see him again. Because Alfred knew that Lukas could have seen him, and if he _did._..

Arthur turned to Lukas, who was awake by now although the sun was only beginning to rise. Lukas was checking the time on his phone, and although he had gotten little sleep his face didn't show it.

He knew he should ask. But he was scared.

But then again, it was Lukas.

And he was unpredictable.

Even more importantly, however, if anyone knew how to keep a secret, it was Lukas.

"Lukas..." Arthur began hesitantly, turning to him.

Lukas turned to look at him, his eyes blank.

"I...last night...the reason I wasn't there..."

Lukas waited.

"Er...this may be hard to believe...and I know you probably will think I'm mentally ill, but..."

His expression remained unchanged.

"Yesterday, I saw a...mer...man."

Lukas blinked. Arthur assumed he wanted more explanation.

"At first I believed him to be drowning and in need of assistance, but upon seeing me he became a bit startled and ended up dragging me into the water."

Lukas' eyes widened a bit.

"You were scared?"

"Unbelievably," Arthur chuckled, shaking his head. "But he...we talked, and he actually helped me learn to start to swim."

Lukas blinked again.

"Can you swim now?"

"Not really," Arthur admitted. "But I began to learn some of the basics."

"Is he there now?"

Arthur paused. "I doubt it. I think he thought you saw him, so he went away."

Lukas lowered his eyes.

"Are you going to see him again?"

"I don't know," Arthur said softly, his eyes downcast. "But regardless, I thought you might be interested," he said with a small smile. "After all, we're two-thirds of our magic club at school. Perhaps the evidence of mermaids implies evidence of more fantastical creatures. And maybe magic itself."

The tips of Lukas' mouth twitched, and Arthur laughed softly.

* * *

The next morning was more or less bearable, with Arthur's brothers teasing him occasionally about the ocean but mostly focusing on preparations for Wyn's wedding. Arthur was left with a lot of free time, and in the evening he and Lukas decided to go for a walk on the beach.

"So it was there?" Lukas asked, pointing the pier. Arthur nodded, although he refused to look at it.

After all, fears weren't solved in a day.

Even if he had an unbearably attractive merman to assist him.

But despite all that, Arthur knew that it was best to forget about Alfred. A merman with any sense of self-preservation would flee for good after another human saw them, and although Alfred seemed to trust Arthur, he wasn't sure if he trusted Lukas.

Arthur sighed as he shuffled through the sand, his back straight but his eyes downcast.

"Will he come again?"

"I doubt it."

Lukas fell silent. They walked together for a while before they turned back, walking in the other direction.

"I believe you," Lukas finally said, and Arthur turned to him in surprise. He had his normal expressionless face, but Arthur could sense a rare warmth in his eyes. "You wouldn't lie."

"Unless I'm going insane," Arthur amended with a small smile. Lukas snorted.

"Even then. You aren't a fool."

Arthur patted him on the shoulder gratefully before looking down at the sand again.

"...Was he alone?" Lukas asked, so softly that Arthur couldn't hear him.

"Pardon?"

"...Nothing," Lukas finished, and Arthur glanced at him, puzzled, before letting the subject go.

* * *

 _3 days later..._

It had been three days, and Arthur had gone to the beach every single night, sitting by the pier no matter what his mind told him to do.

Because he was stubborn. And stupid. So very, very _stupid_.

And each night his hope was dashed, such that by the fourth night he decided to stay in his hotel room, perusing a book while Lukas was typing softly on his laptop.

"I heard they finished the deal with the catering service," Arthur began, turning to Lukas. "How long until the bride arrives?"

"Shouldn't _you_ know that?" Lukas responded absentmindedly, frowning slightly as he studied his laptop.

"I'm not exactly close to my family," Arthur pointed out, his voice simple. Stating a fact.

"Yes."

"What?"

"Oh." Lukas turned to him. "Sorry. What?"

Arthur smiled slightly. "Sorry. It's nothing."

Lukas turned back to his laptop, saying nothing.

Perhaps it would be best not to disturb him.

Arthur sighed as he placed the book on his nightstand before turning over, staring out the window from his bed.

Over the past few days, Alfred had been slowly fading from his mind. Perhaps it was good. But every time he looked out the window, looked at the night sky, at the bright moon...

All he could think about was Alfred.

He sighed again, rolling over to find Lukas staring at him.

"Y-Yes?" Arthur stuttered, sitting up in surprise.

"You're not going?"

"..." Arthur looked down. "No. It's a waste of time, as you can tell from the past couple of days. It's for the best. The child in me has been satiated already, just knowing that they exist."

"Does seeking more make you a child?"

Arthur paused, looking up at him. "What?"

Lukas cleared his throat. "Does wanting to understand the world more...does wanting to see the magic in life make you a child?"

"I've been told it has."

"I'm telling you otherwise," Lukas said harshly. "I told you that you weren't a fool. Don't make me change my mind."

Arthur laughed softly as Lukas went back to his laptop.

 _But am I a fool, Lukas. A scrawny, pathetic **fool.**_

* * *

On the fifth night, Arthur decided he'd give it one last try. After all, they were leaving the next day, as Wyn's bride decided to change the location last-minute. Arthur managed to escape before Scott threw a tantrum, and he waited on the beach, watching the sunset with calm eyes.

He at least wanted to say farewell to Alfred. He wanted to have some way to say to him that he was leaving - although Alfred probably didn't and never would care. He wanted finality - a chance to end whatever it was they had. He wasn't sure if they could even call it friendship - after all, they only knew each other a day.

Acquaintanceship?

That sounded ridiculous.

He walked over to the pier with a heavy heart, his heartbeat still speeding up at the prospect of getting closer to water. He still feared it, but over the past couple of days he'd gotten to dip his toes in and sit over the edge of the pier without vomiting.

It was a start, at least.

"Alfred..." he whispered, sighing as the sun receded into the water, as the moon grew brighter and the canvas of colors faded to darkness.

He knew he should probably go back inside, as the temperature was rapidly dropping and they had a lot to do the next morning, but his body refused to move.

Suddenly, something dark in the water caught his eye, and a blob of darkness was quickly moving towards him. His feet were still in the water, and before he could react something grabbed his ankle.

He let out a cry of surprise, rapidly drawing his foot out of the water.

But there was a hand on his foot.

 _...what?_

"Arthur!"

And then Alfred was there, his head bobbing up and down as he gazed at Arthur with excited blue eyes.

"I caught you!"

"You bloody -" Arthur stopped himself, stopped his tirade as he stared at Alfred.

Who was here. With him.

 _He came back._

"W-Why did you come back, you oaf?" Arthur huffed, frowning as he crossed his arms over his chest. Alfred let go of his ankle, backing off a bit.

"I missed you," Alfred said hesitantly, his eyes a bit darker as he looked down, his eyebrows furrowed. He seemed to be conflicted again as he backed away ever so slightly, his lip quivering. He suddenly looked up at Arthur again, his eyes intense. "I missed you," he repeated, more to himself than to Arthur as he moved closer again. He could tell that Alfred was tense, stressed, and a bit of something else as he held Arthur's gaze.

Arthur would have readily responded, readily been honest, but he remembered what he came for in the first place and let his gaze fall.

"A-Alfred, I'm...it was a pleasure to meet you," he managed, his voice shaking slightly. "But I..."

Alfred waited, his expression unchanging.

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

Alfred froze ever so slightly before studying Arthur. "You are leaving here?"

"...Yes."

"Why?"

His voice, his tone had gone formal again. Arthur noticed that as they grew to know each other a bit more, Alfred began to talk more casually, his voice more at ease - but now it was tense again, as if they were strangers. It sickened him a bit, but he knew it was for the best.

"My brother needs to meet his fiance," Arthur said. "We were originally going to meet here, but the location was changed."

"Arthur," Alfred began, backing up a bit more as he stretched out his arms.

Arthur blinked, confused.

"Come," Alfred said with a smile, his eyes pained and conflicted as his position remained unchanged.

"W-What?"

"Come here. I'll catch you."

"You must be crazy to think that I'd just jump into the water because you asked me!" Arthur spluttered, a light blush dusting his cheeks.

"Maybe I am," Alfred grinned, his eyes suddenly bluer, suddenly clear.

And before he had time to think, to analyze, to _fear_ , he jumped in, diving for Alfred's arms.


End file.
